Life As We Know It
by Princess-Pasta
Summary: Life isn't always easy and plans don't always go accordingly, as Daria learns when her life takes a very unexpected turn. Alternate universe, beginning at the start of the series.
1. The Absence of Sleep

**1. The Absence of Sleep**

The warm blanket cocoon that Daria Morgendorffer had isolated herself within for the better half of the week was disrupted when her comforter was thrown back away from her huddled body. The rush of cool morning air smacked her and instantly sent goosebumps racing up her bare arms. She desperately clawed the empty air for her covers, wanting nothing more than to fall back into her dreamless haze. Once she realized her wishes would not be granted, she had no choice but to face the day. She sat up, bleary eyes searching for the culprit who abruptly ended her peace. Standing at the foot of her bed, clutching her heavy blanket in her hands, was none other than her mother. She was eyeing Daria wearily, hazel eyes scrutinizing her eldest daughter's face. She was already dressed for work, letting Daria know that it couldn't have been later than 7:00 AM. _An ungodly hour to be awake_, she concluded. She bit back the sarcastic remark waiting on her tongue, deciding that whatever her mom wanted, it wasn't good. She reached over to the nightstand, slender fingers fumbling to find her glasses. After a ridiculous amount of time spent knocking over pencils and balled up scraps of paper, her hand curled around a pair of square frames. She quickly placed them on her face and the world swam into sharp focus. In this detail, her mom's face seemed even harder than before. She resisted the urge to take her glasses back off again.

"You are going to get up, you are going to get dressed, and you are going to drive Quinn to school this morning."

None of those prospects sounded appealing to Daria. The only thing she wanted to do was sleep. And maybe order a pizza for lunch but even that was iffy. She ran a hand through her auburn hair, noting how knotted and greasy it was. When was the last time she showered? She went through a list of options in her head, trying to decide the best way to get herself out of this. It was clear that her Mom was serious about this and that it wouldn't be easy to dissuade her, but when had it ever been? Daria learned through years of practice how to weasel her way out of a potentially bad situation. However, it had been awhile since she'd put her skills to good use. She was a little rusty.

"Mom, I-"

"I am not arguing with you today, Daria. You're doing this. No discussion. Your father has already left for work and I'm going in the next five minutes. Get your sister to school on time."

And, with that, she was gone. Daria kept watching the bedroom door, sure that this had to be some horrible nightmare. Unfortunately, nothing changed. She sighed, admitting defeat, before crawling out of bed. The area surrounding the bed was cluttered with boxes, only half of which were unpacked. The only items Daria bothered sorting through were her favorite novels and a few CDs. She still couldn't believe that this would be her new room. It all seemed so...wrong. She shook her head, clearing the thoughts before they could settle and make it impossible for her to function. She had to get Quinn to school or else there would be hell to pay. It wouldn't be good to have another meltdown now. She snatched up a discarded pair of jeans and a red University of Houston sweatshirt from the back of a computer chair, not caring that they were the same clothes that she arrived in a week and a half ago. It wasn't like she'd be leaving the car anyway.

* * *

><p>Sugary bubblegum pop music blared from the crackling speakers of Daria's used Honda Civic, making the beginnings of a migraine throb behind her temples. She brushed aside her overgrown bangs, trying to focus her attention on the road and not on the fact that Quinn was making a crappy morning even worse. She cut her eyes over to the passenger's seat, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as Quinn applied mascara with practiced precision. It took everything in Daria's power not to jostle the car, if only because she didn't want to have to rush her to the hospital. Somehow, Quinn was still annoyingly the same. Daria felt like things should've changed a lot more than they had. Then again, she knew the dangers of being overly optimistic.<p>

"Just make sure you drop me off at a safe distance. I wouldn't want anyone to see you looking like_that_. It could ruin me."

Daria picked at a hole in the leather of her steering wheel cover, her voice a practiced monotone, "Don't worry. I wouldn't want to ruin your first day of high school."

"I'm surprised you even left the house. You've been locked in that room of yours for, like, ever." Quinn closed her compact and slipped it back into her new purse, "I can't believe you left college to do that."

Daria pulled up to the entrance of Lawndale High, ignoring the familiar knot in her stomach. It was amazing to her how Quinn could talk about it all so flippantly, as if she was discussing the weather. She couldn't possibly understand the circumstances that sent Daria's life into a tailspin. She shut off the radio, thankful for the silence that stood in its wake. She turned to Quinn, wanting nothing more than to be rid of her so she could go back home and resume sleeping.

"This is your stop."

Quinn adjusted the straps on her backpack before checking her hair for the umpteenth time, clearly stalling. Daria couldn't see what had changed between now and five minutes ago. She'd been raving about school for the past twenty minutes. Now she was finally here and she didn't want to go? Daria's irritation took a backseat to her sisterly instincts. As much as she hated to admit it, she loved Quinn-even if she was a red-haired nightmare at times. She struggled to find the right words, wondering the best way to broach the subject. She'd never been the best with conversation and that hadn't changed in the three years she'd been away from home.

"Okay. What is it?"

"Nothing." She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "...I'm just..."

Daria turned to face her, "Nervous? Afraid you're going to do something wrong or embarrassing? Quinn, I can't promise you that high school will be perfect but I can guarantee you that you'll be fine."

"How do you know?"

"I don't." She offered up a small smile, though it felt odd, "I know it sounds cliche but be yourself. People will like you. Plus, if you don't get out now you'll be late and Mom will tear me to pieces."

Quinn smiled slightly, even going so far as to give Daria a brief hug-startling her, "Thanks. I mean, I wasn't really worried or anything but...thanks. I'll see you later!"

She practically bolted from the car, not a trace of worry evident in the way she walked or the radiant smile she was displaying. Just like that, she was back to normal. Daria stared in awe at her baby sister, completely envious of her ability to adapt. She knew that Quinn would be fine because Quinn was always fine. It would take an all out war to slow her down even a fraction. For someone so shallow, she was remarkably resilient. Daria wished she could say the same for herself. After watching Quinn stop to speak to a small group of girls, she felt positive that her day would go great. With that out of the way, she was forced to turn her attention back to herself. What would she do today? She knew what she was expected to do: get up and do something, _anything _that could be classified as even remotely productive. She found that she lacked the energy for even the most mundane tasks. _Why bother?_ She put the car into drive, wondering if she could waste some time aimlessly driving around the tiny suburb. After all, she should at least try to get acquainted with the town. She'd be there for awhile.


	2. Family Lies

**2. Family Lies**

The mood at the Morgendorffer dinner table was difficult to place. Though the four members of the family were cohabiting the same space, they may as well have been miles away from each other. Though they'd all gathered to eat almost twenty minutes before, conversation was still kept to an absolute minimum. If anyone would've glanced in through a window, they would've assumed they were all perfect strangers.

Jake, having had a terrible day at the office, was burying his face behind the Lawndale Herald. He hoped that the business section would provide him with a distraction but it only served as a reminder of how awful Morgendorffer Consulting was doing. He silently mused about the best ways to bring in new clients, sure that there had to be some market he wasn't grabbing. There had to be something he was doing wrong! After all, it hadn't taken him this long to get started in Texas. Then again, there hadn't been much in the way of competition. He knew the move was a bad idea, he just knew it! There would be no convincing his wife of this fact, however, and so he would have to make due. Grumbling, he stabbed a forkful of lasagna and hunkered down in his seat, quickly flipping to the sports section. Maybe football would take his mind off of things.

Helen was sitting at the other end of the table, occasionally glancing over the rest of her family, though Daria captured most of her attention. She couldn't help but frown as she took in her eldest daughter's appearance, wondering just what had changed since she'd last seen her six months prior. While she looked world's better than she had that morning, it was still clear that she'd only done what was absolutely necessary. Though her hair was finally washed and she'd changed out of her worn pajamas, her clothes were still two sizes too big. She still wore the same impassive expression that she had since childhood, deep brown eyes intensely focused on the paperback novel she was reading. Her dinner remained untouched and there was doubt in Helen's mind that it would stay that way until the table was cleared. Even Quinn had picked at her meal, as small as the portion was. Helen couldn't even begin to understand what was going on in Daria's head. She'd always been so driven, so independent. Now, she was a completely different person. She barely even got out of bed anymore. Was college so awful? Helen couldn't see where the problems were. Her grades were absolutely phenomenal. There was no doubt in her mind that Daria would've finished at the top of her class and then gone on to law school. She was going to follow in Helen's footsteps, take the world by storm. At least, that was how it was _supposed_ to go.

Sensing her gaze, Daria looked up. She groaned inwardly, already anticipating what would happen next. Her mom would ask Quinn how her day had gone before turning her wrath onto Daria herself. Maybe wrath wasn't the right word, but Daria certainly felt like she was under attack whenever the questioning began. She wasn't sure why her mom still bothered. Her responses would be the same as the day before and the day before that. Whatever her mom was looking for, she wouldn't find it. Daria wanted to leave the table but she knew she couldn't escape her mom's piercing gaze. All she could do was wait it out.

"How was your day, sweetie?"

When nobody else answered, Quinn realized that the question was directed at her. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, though she knew her face was immaculate. It was an attempt to stall, so she could make sure that she had her story down correctly. It wasn't that she'd be lying...not exactly anyway. Her day had gone well. As soon as she arrived at Lawndale High, she'd been greeted by three girls who were enthusiastic to meet her: Sandi Griffin, Tiffany Blum-Deckler, and Stacy Rowe. The three members of the revered Fashion Club (or so Sandi made it sound) and they wanted Quinn to be their forth member. _Not just a member_, she thought, _the vice president_. She'd also been offered membership into the Booster Club, the Pep Squad, and the French Club. While she had no interest in any, it was still flattering. Or it would've been if Quinn was as self-absorbed and shallow as people assumed. It was all an act, put on to make her life easier. Sometimes she wondered if it truly was. It was exhausting pretending to be someone she wasn't but she was worried about what her life would be like if she didn't. She looked over at Daria, who was someone she both respected and admired. She lived life on her own terms, adhering only to the rules she set for herself. She wasn't afraid of being smart. Quinn still had a hard time grasping what had sent her back home. The University of Houston was a beautiful campus, full of all of the people that Quinn would love to be surrounded by. If she had been in Daria's shoes, she would've never left. Whatever had happened, it must've been pretty huge.

"Quinn?"

She realized that she'd been silent for too long, she'd have to react quickly, "Sorry, Mom! I was just thinking about how awesome my day was."

"That's wonderful, honey."

"My classes seem okay and my teachers are weird but when aren't they? And I met some friends and they wanted me to join their Fashion Club. So, I said yes because I've always been interested in clothes, you know? But then I met some people at lunch who wanted me to join the Pep Squad and so I told them that I needed time to decide. I mean, I just got here."

She paused, breathing a sigh of relief once she saw the smile on her mom's face. That was a potential crisis averted.

"As long as you can join pep squad later, if you want. We never know how much we can handle till we try, though."

It seemed that there was always more to do, Quinn found. You joined the Fashion Club? Well, what about the Pep Squad too? It was like she couldn't catch a break. Instead of voicing her opinions, she smiled and nodded wordlessly. It would be better to just go along with it. Maybe she could join the Pep Squad tomorrow. It wasn't like she really had anything to do...

"What about you, Daria?" Helen turned her gaze back to her main focus, "What did you do today?"

Daria could feel everyone's eyes on her, even her Dad though he was obscured from view. She went for what she knew best: sarcasm. It was her natural defense and it hadn't failed her yet.

"Tried to overthrow a fascist regime, successfully thwarted an alien invasion, and I still had time to stop for a double cheeseburger and a chocolate shake."

"That's fantastic, Daria!" came the voice of her father, overly enthusiastic and incredibly forced, "See, kiddo? Look at what you can do once you put your mind to it!"

Helen gave him a sour look and he went back to his paper. Daria swallowed hard, fighting the lump that had risen in her throat. Why couldn't they see that she'd done all that she could? That she had no more left to give? She was exhausted. Drained both mentally and emotionally. All of that work had buried her and she was left wondering if she'd ever known herself in the first place. She blinked slowly, knowing that she had to keep talking, even if she didn't want to. Her mom wouldn't rest until she was given some sort of answer, even a lame one. Daria decided to go for a half-truth, she didn't need her mom getting her hopes up for nothing.

"...I drove around and tried to get acquainted with everything. I...visited a few shops. That's it."

Helen was torn between disappointment and relief. At least she'd gone outside for a change. It wouldn't help to question her further. By the look on her face, it was clear that Daria had given all that she intended to.

"That's a start, Daria. But I really want you to-"

"I know." Daria pushed aside her plate, "I'm working on it. I just...need a few more days. I'll start putting my resume out there."

Daria got up from the table and left the kitchen, not caring that she hadn't excused herself. She doubted she would get hired at anywhere other than that pizza place by the high school. She was a college dropout with absolutely zero employment history and virtually no skills. At least none that would secure her a position. She walked inside the guest bedroom-_your bedroom_- she hastily reminded herself, before locking the door behind her. She hadn't done nearly enough but her day wasn't a total waste.

She hadn't lied about visiting a few shops, she'd just made sure she didn't tell her mom about where those shops were located. She knew that her mom wouldn't have been happy to find that she'd wasted almost an entire day wandering around Dega Street. She'd only been in town for a few days and she could already tell it wasn't a place that the most reputable people frequented. She hadn't intended to stay there long but she was drawn in by the strangeness of it all. This was a world that she had never inhabited before. It was new and she found herself drawn to the denizens of the area. They were bizarre by most standards but there was something...interesting about them. Daria had spent a lot of time people watching before she plucked up enough courage to actually _enter_ a store. Axl's Piercing Parlor was the last place on Earth she'd ever expect to find herself, then again, she never thought she'd be living with her parents again at almost twenty-two years old.

* * *

><p>The inside of Axl's was much cleaner than the outside would dictate.<p>

It smelled faintly of antiseptic and glass cleaner, the air much cooler than it was outside. Daria gazed around the area, taking in everything slowly. There were two leather couches set up in a corner, in the center of which sat a glass table covered with Tattoo World magazines. There were pictures up on the walls, predictably of people with facial piercings and dyed hair, along with the standard piercing charts. She found herself intrigued by a lot of them._You can get those things pierced?!_ She noticed the glass display counter towards the back of the store, the length of which was filled with body jewelry. She was a little overwhelmed by it all but it didn't repulse her like she first thought it would. She approached the counter, not sure exactly what she was doing. There was no way she'd go through with getting a piercing. A tattoo was even further out of the question. Even if she had wanted to, she lacked the finances for it. Confused, she reached for a plain black folder which turned out to be full of photos of what she could only assume to be clients. The tattoos displayed in the folder were artfully detailed and she was astounded by the quality of the work. As a writer, she could appreciate a medium that invoked the same emotion. This took considerable talent and skill. She was staring at a large back piece of a great white shark when the sound of someone coughing caused her to turn her head.

Standing behind the counter was a guy who was incredibly pale and thin with a mess of shaggy black hair and an eyebrow ring. Judging from the scattered tattoos on his arms and the plastic gloves he was wearing, Daria could only assume that he was Axl. She was unsure of exactly what to say. She'd never been good at talking to strangers and her first instinct was always to avoid them as much as possible. She was on the spot now. Thankfully, he broke the silence for her.

"'Ello. When Trent said he had a friend stoppin' by, I thought he was talkin' about Monique." he said, in a thick English accent,"For the record, I think you're much cuter."

Daria was both baffled and mortified. She had no idea who he was mistaking her for or who Trent or Monique were. She was even more confused by the use of the word 'cute' in relation to her. She looked down at her outfit, one that wasn't particularly spectacular. A pair of dark jeans and an over-sized sweater in dark green, her scuffed combat boots completing it all. She knew that her hair was a mess and that she probably looked awful. There was no way that anybody could find her attractive in this state. She had a hard time believing anybody would find her attractive in _any_ state. She wasn't Quinn. People didn't look at her and think fashion model. The only explanation she had was that either this guy was drunk or blind, maybe some combination of the two.

"Oy! Trent! Get out here!"

She watched, still trying to wrap her head around what was going on, as someone made their way out of the back room. He was tall, much taller than her, with dark eyes that seemed to be able to see through anything they lit on. His black hair was messily tousled, whether from sleep or purposely, she couldn't tell. His lean arms were home to several tattoos, though only one was new. There was a sterile bandage covering a large part of his right forearm, hiding whatever design lay underneath. She took in his worn gray t-shirt and ripped jeans before lifting her gaze to meet his face again. This time, he was looking at her and her cheeks instantly started to burn. _Great, your first day out and you start blushing like a twelve year old when you see a cute guy...okay, a really cute guy. _

"Uh, Axl, are you sure you're okay with this? I can pay you."

He waved off Trent's comment, "Nah, mate. You're good. Your, ah, lady friend is here to see you."

Daria didn't miss the wink that Axl gave her and she tugged on her sleeve nervously, feeling the urge to flee. What was she doing here anyway? Why had this seemed like a good idea? Trent eyed her seriously for a moment, thick eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Then, he seemed to understand something. What that something was, Daria couldn't tell.

"I've seen you before."

"No, you haven't." Daria said quickly. There was no way that he could've seen her. She hadn't left the house for more than thirty minutes at a time. He had to be mistaken. They both had to be. They were probably confusing her for someone else.

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Yeah, earlier. At the high school. I had to drop off my sister."

So, it really was her. She was surprised that he remembered her. She wasn't memorable in the slightest. She looked at him again, wondering how she'd missed him if he'd seen her. It was possible she'd been too tired to notice. That was happening to her a lot lately. Feeling even more awkward than before, she shrugged.

"...That's what I was doing. Uhm, I actually have to run."

"You didn't tell me your name."

Daria found herself reverting back to the way she'd been at school. He didn't need to know her name. They weren't going to become friends. She never made friends. She needed to go home. She needed to go back to her room.

"I'd rather not."

She turned on her heels and left quickly before either of them could think to stop her. At least she'd left the house. That was a start, wasn't it?

* * *

><p>Daria stared up at her ceiling, moonlight casting strange patterns across it. <em>Why didn't you tell them your name? <em>She was still dwelling on what happened, chastising herself for making yet another mistake. They seemed friendly enough, even if Axl was a bit forward. She could stand to make her time spent in Lawndale relatively painless and maybe even fun. She rolled over onto her side and glared at her clock, as if her current circumstances were its fault instead of her own. Part of her was sure that it was pointless to keep thinking about it. It wasn't like she'd see him again. And, even if she did, she could easily avoid him. He'd probably already branded her as a weirdo or a jerk, and she deserved that didn't she?

Suddenly feeling exhausted, she burrowed further into her blankets. Tomorrow was another day.


End file.
